Whistler Peak Lodge

Formerly known as the Holiday Inn Whistler Village Centre, Whistler Peak Lodge attracts mostly families and couples to its apartment-style suites with kitchenettes. The atmosphere is relaxed and laid-back, but the generic interiors reflect its chain-hotel history. The lobby is essentially an area where guests check in, though renovations are planned for 2017 which could add some spice -- and space. The hotel has also undergone some renovations since our visit, including room updates, new hallway carpeting, new wallpaper in public spaces, and fresh paint on the doors. Apart from the lobby, there aren’t many common areas where guests can interact with one another. 

Guests have complained about area noise, especially early in the morning and late at night. Another downside: Rooms are spread out, and some can be hard to get to, especially from the elevator in the lobby. 

Arguably, Whistler Peak's greatest asset is it's location. It's in the center of Whistler, a busy area surrounded by shops and restaurants. The ski lifts at Whistler Blackcomb are a seven-minute walk from the hotel, while the Blackcomb Excalibur Gondola is a five-minute walk away. For business travelers, the Whistler Conference Center is a four-minute walk from the property. It takes seven minutes to reach the Whistler Golf Club on foot. Vancouver International Airport is a two-hour drive away. 

Since our visit to Whistler Peak Lodge, the rooms have been refreshed with new carpeting, sofa beds, mattresses, linens and duvets, coffee tables, and dining room chairs. Cabinets have been restained, and there's new lighting. The style, with warm wooden furnishings, gray carpeting and couches, and cream or gray walls, is contemporary but remains generic. Some of the bedrooms in the Two-Bedroom Suites are cramped, with bed ends touching both walls. Bathrooms have white tile with brown accents. They include shower/tub combos (most have jetted tubs), toiletries, and hairdryers. 

All suites have flat-screen TVs, fireplaces, free Wi-Fi, safes, and kitchenettes with mini-fridges or refrigerators, stove tops, microwaves, coffeemakers, kettles, toasters, dishwashers, dishes, cooking items, and utensils. Most have ovens, though some studios do not. Some units have washers and dryers as well. But the portable air-conditioning units are a bit of an eyesore with large hoses exiting through windows. Higher-priced rooms have furnished balconies, but views are nothing special. There is no daily housekeeping -- rooms are cleaned at mid-stay. Daily cleaning can be requested for an additional fee. Past guests have complained about noise from the street and neighboring rooms.

The Whistler Peak Lodge has fewer features than other comparable properties in Whistler. The property lacks a pool, but it does have a hot tub and a modest fitness center with four cardio machines. There’s no restaurant or bar on-site, and no breakfast service. Wi-Fi is free throughout, and parking rates are lower than elsewhere. Guests can store ski and snowboard equipment at the hotel.